Bomb ejector



March 17, 1970 w, SCHNEPFE ET AL BOMB EJ'EGTOR Filed March 15, 1968 INVENTORS 554? M ,SKW/VEPAZ 3,50%),716 BOMB EJE'CTOR Robert W. Schnepfe, Timonium, and Edward W. Rollman, Cockeysvilie, Md., assignors t the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Filed Mar. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 713,407 Int. Cl. Bead 1/04; F41f 5/02 U.S. Cl. 89-1.5 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bomb ejector for use with a clip-type bomb rack where the stores are held in vertical columnar relationship. An ejector cartridge is positioned between the stores such that, upon firing, a downward velocity is imparted to the lower store which is simultaneously released from the support means angularly positioned on the vertical structural members. The flash and combustion products are contained within the expanded cup seal of the ejector after firing and the support means and ejector drop away from the release path allowing the upper store to be released and ejected.

Background of the invention This invention relates to an ejection system for imparting a downward force to angularly held aircraft stores and, more particularly, the invention is concerned with providing a bomb ejector which imparts an initial downward velocity to aircraft stores as they are released from a bomb rack which holds a multiplicity of stores in a universal clip-in arrangement where the stores are mounted in vertical columns.

In presently known structures for retaining bombs to be dropped from aircraft, the bombs or stores are held in a clip-type bomb rack which includes vertical structural members joined at their upper extremity by a horizontal member. Between the vertical members, standard bomb racks are mounted which pivot outward from the structural members. The racks or support arms hold the stores on an angle in a vertical columnar relationship. When the stores are to be released, the lower racks release their stores, then swing down against the structural members so as not to interfere with the release of the upper stores in the same column.

Bomb racks with ejecting capabilities cannot be used with an arrangement of the above-described type because of the angle at which the racks or support arms are positioned when the stores are attached. If racks with the ejection capability were used, the stores would be ejected with a large horizontal velocity component which is incompatible with the proper operation of the clip-type bomb rack. Thus, the disadvantages and defects of previously known clip-type bomb racks where an ejection capability is required raise the problems of providing a vertically downward forced ejection of the angularly held stores to assure safe and adequate separation of the store from the aircraft.

Summary of the invention The present invention is primarily concerned with the provision of a downward ejection capability to a bomb rack holding stores in vertical columnar relatlonship at 3,500,716 Patented Mar. 17, 1970 an angle with the structural members of the bomb rack. In the practice of the invention, a cartridge actuated device is incorporated in the system between each store in the vertical columns. For the topmost store in each column, the device is located between that store and the upper horizontal structural member. The operation of the system is similar to the ordinary clip-type rack except that along with the store release function, there is an additional ejection function in which the ejector cartridge is fired to impart the desired initial downward velocity to the stores as they are released. The reaction loads are carried upward through the unreleased stores and unfired ejector cartridges to the upper horizontal member of the clip-type structure. After the ejector fires, it swings down between the columns and out of the way along with the bomb rack support arm.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a downward ejection capability to the stores in an angularly oriented bomb rack wherein the stores are positioned in vertical columnar relationship.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bomb ejector which is particularly effective for use with a bomb rack located inside an aircraft bomb bay since all of the flash and products of combustion remain in the ejector cartridge after firing, thus providing a less easily detectable ejection system.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an ejection cartridge which is sufficiently safe for use in a confined area where explosive and propellant actuated devices are kept.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bomb ejector adaptable for use in standard bomb racks wherein the racks which retain the stores are horizontally or angularly oriented thereby precluding the utilization of conventional ejector means.

These and other objects, features, and advantages will become more apparent after considering the description that follows and from the drawings wher in like numbers are used throughout to identify like elements.

Description of the drawings In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a ores-sectional view of an ejector for use1 in a clip-type bomb rack according to the invention; an

FIGURE 2 is a schematic illustration of a clip-type bomb rack showing the position of the ejectors with one of the stores ejected from its position in the rack.

Preferred embodiment of the invention The utilization of the present invention is directed toward the imparting of a downward velocity to a releasable store. In the past this was generally accomplished by providing an ejector cartridge integral with the bomb rack such that the store is simultaneously released and ejected. This arrangement is satisfactory when and if the bomb rack retains the store in a vertical manner, that is, when the store is positioned directly below the bomb rack. However, in a clip-type structure where a plurality of stores are held in columnar relationship (as shown in FIGURE 2) in a bomb rack having angularly disposed retaining means, the conventional ejection system produces a large horizontal velocity component which interferes with proper release and ejection of the store making the system inoperable. The present invention discloses an ejection system which is compatible with the clip-type bomb rack where the stores are held in vertical columnar relationship.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a detail view in cross section of the ejector cartridge designated by the reference numeral 13. The ejector cartridge 13 includes a cup seal 15 and a piston member 17 in contact therewith. The cup seal 15 is held in position in the breech section 19 by means of a threaded barrel 21 which bears against the upper lip portion 23 of the cup seal 15. An O-ring 25 is located between the barrel 21 and the breech section 19 and serves to prevent leakage of pressure and combustion products from within the cup seal 15. The inner surface 27 of the threaded barrel 21 is smooth and slidably engages with the outer surface of the piston member 17. A shear pin 29 is threadably inserted through the barrel 21 and into an aligned opening 31 in the side of the piston member 17 serving to maintain the piston 17 in position against the cup seal 15.

The piston member 17 is internally threaded to receive an externally threaded stud 33. An adjuster 35 is fixedly attached to the lower surface of the stud 33 such that the rotation of the adjuster 35 causes the stud 33 to rotate to produce a coresponding verical movement of the members. A pad 37 is held in position against the lower surface of the adjuster 35 by the pin 39 which is press fitted into the opening 41 in the stud 33. The lower surface of the pad 37 and the upper surface of the breech section 19 are shaped in the form of a curve to mate with the correspondingly curved surface of the store 43.

In the breech section 19 of the ejector cartridge 13, there is positioned a propellant 45 held in position by a retaining ring 46 and in communication with an open area above the surface of the cup seal 15. An ignition cartridge 47 is threadably attached to the breech section 19 in communication with the propellant 45 and serves to ignite the propellant charge when fired.

In FIGURE 2, there is illustratively shown a bomb rack which utilizes the ejector cartridge 13 according to the invention. Three vertical structural members 49 are joined at their upper extremity by a horizontal structural member 51. A plurality of bomb support arms 53 are pivotally attached to the vertical support members 49 such that upon release of the store 43 the support arm 53 swings downward against the surface of the vertical support members 49 thereby allowing the upper positioned stores to pass down between the members 49. The support arms 53 include a locking assembly (not shown) which fixedly holds the arms at the proper angle preventing any pivoting movement until the store is released which simultaneously unlocks the support arm 53 allowing the arm to swing downward away from the path that the upper store will take when released.

Mode of operation The hereinbefore described bomb ejector provides a simple and efiicient solution to the problem of safety ejecting stores held in a clip-type bomb rack. The system utilizes known components to provide an ejection capability to a specially constructed bomb rack which is more simple and less costly than the ejection system used in standard bomb racks.

In operation, the stores 43 are positioned in vertical columnar relationship in the clip-type bomb rack as shown in FIGURE 2. An ejector cartridge 13 is positioned over each of the stores, the lower and center ejectors being located between the stores and the upper ejectors being positioned between the uppermost store and the horizontal structural member 51. The bomb support arm 53 is fixedly attached between the store 43 and the vertical structural members 49 and, in the unreleased condition, the store 43 is rigidly held in position by the angularly oriented arm 53. After the stores 43 are attached and the ejectors 13 are placed in their respective positions,

the adjusters 35 are rotated to lengthen the ejectors until any clearance between the elements is eliminated and the ejectors 13 are snugly positioned between the stores 43. The bomb rack is now in condition for use.

When it is desired to release and eject one or more of the stores 43, a fire signal is delivered to the ejector 13 through the ignition cartridge 47. At the same time, the bomb support arm 53 releases the store 43 and the upper end of the arm 53 becomes pivotable. The propellant 45 is ignited producing a volume of gas which unrolls the cup seal 15 and forces the piston member 17 downward through the barrel 21 and away from the breech section 19. This causes the shear pin 29 to shear the piston 17 to slide downward and separate from the breech section 19. Since the ejector 13 is positioned between the stores 43, the energy is imparted into the store below the fired ejector while the load reacts upward through the upper stores and finally to the horizontal structural member 51. In the case of the uppermost store, the reaction load goes directly to the member 51.

The cup seal 15 is retained in the breech section 19 by the threaded barrel 21 so that the flash as well as all products of combustion are contained and none are released into the atmosphere at the end of the stroke. The bomb support arm 53 which unlocks when the store is released pivots downwardly out of the way. The breech 19 and barrel 21 assembly along with the spent propellant and expanded cup seal 15 also drop out of the release path while the piston 17 and pad 37 assembly are ejected along with the store 43 and discarded. In the lower left section of FIGURE 2, there is an illustration of a store shortly after release and ejection showing the separation of the ejector 13 into two sections and the support arm 53 dropped against the vertical structural member 49.

In considering the distinctive features of the bomb ejector hereinbefore described, it can be seen that a simple and substantially foolproof apparatus has been provided. The clip-type rack is versatile and can be modified to hold stores in various desired sizes, numbers, and arrangements. The inventive apparatus operates equally well regardless of the configuration of the bomb rack in which the stores are held. In any situation when forced ejection is required, the described bomb ejector assures the safe and adequate separation of weapon from aircraft while, at the same time, retaining the flash and combustion products within the ejector itself.

Although the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in the foregoing specification in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, the invention is not limited to this embodiment or to the particular uses mentioned. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that our invention can be used for the ejection of any of a variety of articles, both military and for civilian purposes. Also, it should be understood that various changes, alternations, modifications and substitutions, particularly with respect to construction details, can be made in the arrangement of the several elements without departing from the true spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bomb ejector for imparting a downward ejection velocity in combination with angularly held stores; said ejector comprising a breech section having a downwardly extending threaded inner wall, a barrel section threadably engaging said breech section, an annular cup seal having a lip outer edge portion positioned between said breech and said barrel section, said cup seal forming an enclosed cavity with said breech section, a piston member slidably engaging the inner surface of said barrel section, the upper surface of said piston being in contact with the lower surface of said cup seal, retaining means for holding said piston in position against said cup seal, a propellant charge disposed in said breech section in communication with said cavity, and ignition means for firing said propellant to produce a pressure in the cavity causing said cup seal to unroll, forcing said piston to shear said retaining means thereby releasing and forcing said piston to move out of said barrel section and apply a downward force to the store therebeneath; and said angularly held stores being positioned in vertical columnar relationship between a plurality of vertical structural members, said stores being releasably attached to said vertical structural members by angularly oriented support arms, an horizontal structural member attached to the upper ends of said vertical members, said ejectors being positioned immediately above and in contact with the surface of each of said stores.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,980,375 11/1934 Bradshaw 891.5 5 3,106,131 10/ 1963 Barr et al 891 3,119,302 1/1964 Barr 89-1 3,309,961 3/1967 Lee 891 SAMUEL W; ENGLE, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R. 

